Pedal operated, pail mounted, selfopening mop wringer



Sept. 30, 1947. B. SCHWARTZ 2,428,296

PEDAL OPERATED, PAIL MOUNTED, SELF-OPENING MOP WRINGER Filed Jan. 11, 1946 Z6 ,2 25 55 33 5/ 29 l3 1/ 57 r 4 I2 VEN TO? I W7 I Patented Sept. 30, 1947 Mam orncs PEDAL OPERATED, PAILMOUNTED, SELF- OIPENENG MOP WRI'NGE'R Barney Schwartz, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application January 11, 1946, Serial No. 640,586

This invention relates to devices for wringing articles and has particular reference to mop Wringers.

One object of the invention is to furnish a device of the character described having improved means of highly convenient and efficient character for wringing mops and similar articles of varying thickness.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mop wringer having resilient means to cause the rollers to wring the thin as well as the thick portions of the mop.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having improved means including a resilient element capable of performing the dual functions of oreating an elastic pressure between the rollers when the Wringer is in use and of automatically opening the wringer when the operator releases the same.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a simple and inexpensive linkage-type of mop wringer, such as maybe conveniently mounted on a pail, wherein the rollers are manually urged to a closed position against a stop action that relieves the rollers of any additional manual pressure, the rollers being then subject only to such reaction as may be caused by the thickness of the mop and the strength of a spring which holds one of the rollers relatively advanced but permits it to yield to follow variations in the thickness of the mop.

Another object of the invention is to construct a mop wringer having a linkage frame mounting its rollers at least partially on a pail in a highly compact and stable manner and being capable of readily assuming the operator foot pressure for closing the wringer to a stop position, with one of the rollers being elastically yielding in closed position and being adapted to automatically move to open or retracted position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a mop wringer embodying the invention, in open 3 Claims. (C1. l'5-262--) position, with parts in dot-dash lines indicating a the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing a preferred exemplification of the invention.

"Referring in detail to the drawing, i0 denotes a device such as a mop wringer embodying the invention. The same may include a frame comprising a first member H, a second member l2 and a third member l3 for operatively mounting rollers l4, I5 between which a mop or similar article may be wrung out.

Preferably the invention is shown as applied for use in conjunction with a pail it at the mouth or rim H of which the .rollers lie, with the frame supported at one end on the pail and at the other end on the ground I8. For this purpose the member I l is made in the form of a U, with a bottom cross bar l9 adapted to rest on the ground. EX- tending from the bar ii! to the top of the pail are the upward extending arms 26 inclined toward the pail, and having a bend at 28 to increase the distance of the ground rest bar l9 from the-pail for added stability. At the near edge of the pail and preferably clearing the same are the bends 22 t produce the generally horizontal sections 23 of the arms 26. The latter have pail rim engaging portions or recesses 24. By reason of this arrangement, the arm sections 23 may be at a small angle to the horizontal, The roller I5 has a fixed axis of rotation afforded by pins 25 or the like which secure the roller to the arm sections 23 and cause this roller to serve as a spacer between the arms for addin rigidity to the frame member H. The roller I4 is mounted for rotary and for sliding movement toward and away from its companion roller l5. For this purpose pins 26 or the like fixed in roller [5 pass through longitudinal slots 21 in the arm section 723. These pins 26 also aifix the second member comprising the links l2 to the roller l4, so that these links will not interfere with the rotation of the roller l4 but will be capable of causing the lineal move- 3 ment of the roller. stress, the arms I2 are disposed at the opposite ends of the roller I4, outside of the arm sections 23.

The third member I3 is desirably of U-form, having a cross bar or foot pedal 28 from which there extend the generally horizontal arms 29 having bends 30 at which these arms are pivotally connected at 3| to the arms 20. The bends at 38 result in the upwardly extending arm sections 32, which, for compactness, are inclined toward the pail. By forming the pivots 3I lateral to the pail, the downward pressure of the foot pedal 28 is largely assumed by the arms 20, a part being taken care of by the pail, and the net result is to obviate any tendency to tipping of the pail when the operator powerfully depresses the foot.

pedal. The member I3 forms a reinforcement connection between the arms 20 so that the member II can readily assume the stresses involved.

Adjacent to the upper end of the arms 32 are pins 33 which pivotally engage the links I2 that are upwardly inclined for this purpose. For lost motion engagement, the links I2 are formed with longitudinal slots 34 along which the pins 33 may ride.

A resilient means operates with thelost motion pivotal connection 33, 34 for the combined functions of expanding the linkage I2, I3 to cause the roller I4 to be moved away from the roller I5 for the reception of a mop, and to permit leftward or retraction movement of the link I2 and its roller I4 to accommodate the varying thickness of the mop, this resilient means being sufficiently powerful to normally maintain the lost motion engagement at one end of its path while the mop wringer is being closed and until such time as the foot pedal 28 comes into stop engagement with the arms 23 of the member II, at which any additional pressure exerted on the foot pedal will not influence the pressure between the rollers, the latter being then responsive solely to the thickness of the mop therebetween and the reaction of the resilient means. The change in angularity between the member I2, I3 is shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. l, with the arm 32 of any suficient length beyond the pivot 33 to afiord a leverage sufrlcient to permit the spring 35 to urge the member I3 counterclockwise about the pivot 33 and hence about pivot 3i from the dotdash to the full line position,

Without limitation thereto, one type of coordination involves the use of a tension coil spring 35 connected in any suitable manner at one end to the link I2 at 38 and connected at its other end at 31 to the arm 32 at a point thereof spaced above the pivot 33. For a uniform, balanced action such springs are provided at each of the links i2. These springs keep the links I2 in advanced position relative to the arms 32 and yield for retraction of the links I2 in response to the thickness of a mop between the rollers. These springs also tend to swing the arms 32 counterclockwise about pivots 3I to thus move the links I2 leftward.

The manner of using the invention will now be briefly described. The mop wringer I8 is placed over a pail I6 whose rim is engaged in recesses 24 to prevent relative horizontal movement between the wringer and the pail, the first member II resting at I9 n the ground I8, and the rollers I4, I lying within the area of the pail so that all the water expressed from the mop shall flow into the pail. Now the operator handling a mop attached to a stick passes the mop between the For uniform or balanced rollers into the pail in which the mop may be rinsed. When the mop is ready for removal, the operator applies his foot to the pedal 28 causing parts of the wringer to assume the position shown in dot-dash lines. The foot pressure is applied until the pedal 28 hits the arms 20 as a stop, thus affording a gauge of the pressure applied on a mop of predetermined or any size. In this position the rollers may come closely together with the parts in the position shown, except that the mop may space the rollers with the spring 35 yielding to accommodate the same. As the operator pulls the mop out, the rollers turn and wring the same. Usually the free end portion of the mop is much thinner than the rest, but in this invention the spring 35 maintains the pressure so that the water is squeezed out of this thin portion. Then the operator releases the foot pedal, whereupon the spring 35 causes relative angular movement to expand the linkage I2, I3 andmove the roller I4 to open position in readiness to receive the mop again.

I claim:

1. A mop wringer having a pair of rollers, one of which is movable from a retracted position toward the other, means for operatively mounting the rollers including a first member, a second member engaging the movable roller to cause movement of the same toward and away from the companion roller, a third member constituting an actuator having relatively fixed pivotal connection with the first member, a resilient element interconnecting the second and third members, the second and third members being at an angle to each other and having lost motion pivotal engagement means therebetween located in spaced relation from and between the point of connection of the resilient element to the third member and the said fixed pivotal connection, the third member being swingable about its relatively fixed pivot to an advanced position in which the second member is moved by the resilient element to advance the movable roller toward the companion roller, the resilient element causing the second and third members to maintain a normal, initial relative position at one end of the path of lost motion, with the second member urged by the resilient element to move the roller toward the retracted position, and the resilient element yielding upon pressure engagement between the rollers so that the second and third members finally assume a relative position adjacent to the other end of said path of lost motion, in which the resilient element is deformed by the resultant tension thereon.

2. A mop wringer having a pair of rollers, one of which is movable from a retracted position the other, means for operatively mounting the rollers including a first member, a second member engaging the movable roller to cause movement or" the same toward and away from the companion roller, a third member constituting an actuator having relatively fixed pivotal connection with the first member, a resilient element interconnecting the second and third members, the second and third members being at an angle to each other and having lost motion pivotal engagement means therebetween located in spaced relation from and between the point of connection of the resilient element to the third member and the said fixed pivotal connection, the third member being swingable about its relatively fixed pivot to an advanced position in which the second member is moved by the resilient element to advance the movable roller toward the companion roller, the resilient element causing the second. and third members to maintain a normal, initial relative position at one end of the path of lost motion, with the second member urged by the resilient element to move the movable roller toward the retracted position, and the resilient element yielding upon pressure engagement between the rollers so that the second and third members finally assume a relative position adjacent to the other end of said path of lost motion, in which the resilient element is deformed by the resultant tension thereon, and stop means for limiting the advance movement of the third, actuator member to an ultimate position of advance in relation to the second member, the path of lost motion pivotal engagement extending beyond the ultimate advanced relation between the second and third members so that the second member is adapted to move to and fro to accommodate varying mop thicknesses under the tension of the resilient element.

3. A mop wringer having a pair of rollers, one of which is movable from a retracted position toward the other, means for operatively mounting the rollers including a first member, a second member engaging the movable roller to cause movement of the same toward and away from the companion roller, a third member constituting an actuator having relatively fixed pivotal connection with the first member, a, resilient element interconnecting the second and third members, the second and third members being at an angle to each other and having lost motion pivotal engagement means therebetween located in spaced relation from and between the point of connection of the resilient element to the third member and the said fixed pivotal connection, the third member being swingable about its relatively fixed pivot to an advanced position in which the second member is moved by the resilient element to advance the movable roller toward the companion roller, the resilient element causing the second and third members to maintain a normal, initial relative position at one end of the path of lost motion, with the second member urged by the resilient element to move the roller toward the retracted position, and the resilient element yielding upon pressure engagement between the rollers so that the second and third members finally assume a relative position adjacent to the other end of said path of lost motion, in which the resilient element is deformed by the resultant tension thereon, the first member being adapted to horizontally rest on a pail and having downwardly extending oblique arm adapted to rest on a floor at a point spaced from the pail, the third member having a depending foot pedal having stop engagement with the downwardly extending arm to limit the advance of the third member to a position of ultimate advance, the lost motion pivotal engagement means being so related to the resilient element in the ultimate advance position of the third memher that the second member is free to move back and forth under the tension of the resilient element to accommodate mops of varying thickness.

BARNEY SCHWARTZ.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the 

